Philip Maddocks: Bill Clinton volunteers to be Meet the Press’ guest for rest of year

Friday

Jun 27, 2008 at 12:01 AMJun 27, 2008 at 1:02 AM

Though he has not been formally or informally asked, former president Bill Clinton said he would be happy to appear on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ next week in its first program under interim moderator Tom Brokaw, the former anchor of "NBC Nightly News."

Philip Maddocks

Though he has not been formally or informally asked, former president Bill Clinton said he would be happy to appear on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ next week in its first program under interim moderator Tom Brokaw, the former anchor of "NBC Nightly News."

NBC moved quickly to stanch speculation about who would succeed Tim Russert as moderator of "Meet the Press," announcing Sunday that Brokaw would fill the role for the rest of this election year. Moments later Mr. Clinton came out with his own announcement, saying he "had freed up his schedule" so he could appear as a guest on the show for "the foreseeable future."

"I volunteered," Mr. Clinton said in a telephone interview from his home in New York. "A number of times I had suggested it. I thought about it, talked about it with myself over the weekend. I looked at my calendar and manipulated a couple of personal things, and I think I can get the show through the election."

"It was really not a hard call for me to make," Mr. Clinton added. He said he had already been heavily involved in this year’s presidential campaign, whipping up controversy while campaigning on behalf of his wife, Hillary, and that he would like to bring some of the same kind of heavy-handed presence to television where it really belongs.

"I think I’d be a perfect fit for any television talk show," he said. "I’m a publicity person. I enjoy meeting with it, talking with it, embracing it, we just get along."

There was no immediate response from NBC or Mr. Brokaw regarding Mr. Clinton’s offer, but the former president remained optimistic that NBC would find a way "to fulfill their dream" of having Mr. Clinton as a recurring guest on their top-rated political show.

"I know I am asking a lot of myself in doing this," said Mr. Clinton while handing out autographed copies of his book "My Life" at a "Friends of Bill" gathering, "but I believe if you give people a chance to do the right thing, they will do it. That’s why I am giving NBC this chance."

Mr. Clinton said he would be "familiar territory" for Mr. Brokaw and added he would gladly volunteer to serve out the rest of President George W. Bush’s term if that would make it any easier for the Mr. Brokaw, NBC executives, and viewers of "Meet the Press."

"This country has been through a lot in the last eight years. I think I can help with that healing process until I am sworn in again as president," he said.

"I could probably do most of the presidential work right here, from my home in New York," Mr. Clinton continued. "I would probably fly to Washington on Friday night or early Saturday when I had to, but I am sure I could do most of the work without leaving the comfort of home."

As for his regular appearance as a "Meet the Press" guest, the former president said it was his hope that "not having to worry about booking a guest each week" will allow NBC some breathing room for what its executives have acknowledged is a crucial decision for "Meet the Press." Under Mr. Russert, who died on June 13, it had become the most-watched Sunday-morning political discussion program and a source of prestige for NBC’s news division.

"I know that Tim was larger than life, and the show, under his stewardship, was regarded as a sort of rite of passage for would-be national leaders, but I am larger than Tim, and I regard myself as a rite of passage for would-be national talk show hosts," Mr. Clinton said.

In this regard, he said, it would probably be unfair of him to confine himself to just "Meet the Press." Mr. Clinton said watching him take the measure of his one-time White colleague George Stephanopoulos at ABC or Bill O’Reilly at Fox News would most certainly hold intense interest for viewers.

Even after his role on the program as Brokaw-guest-in-residence ends, Mr. Clinton said, he expects to have some say in who is selected as the permanent moderator. "It’s NBC’s call," Mr. Clinton said. "but my guess is they’ll want to know what I think."